Laura M. Magone Productions

In Association with

Pittsburgh Filmmakers

and the

Monongahela Area Historical Society

It's a Wrap

Great news! After many years of hard work, we finished shooting the major portions of the documentary on December 15, 2006 in Washington, D.C. We are honored to report that we filmed an interview with the 31st Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army, Four-Star General Carl E. Vuono. We are also honored to report that we also filmed General Colin Powell making comments on General Vuono, who is his good friend.

We are now editing, and may have the project completed and ready for screening as early as November of 2007.

If you have any photos or home movie footage of Park Avenue, please let Laura know at:

info@LauraMagoneProductions.com

In the News

The January 21st, 2007 edition of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Mon-Valley Section, contains an article about our interview with the 31st Chief of Staff of the U. S. Army, Four-Star General Carl E. Vuono. To read the article on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website, Click Here.

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Park Avenue…

“Surely one of the most

extraordinary streets

in small-town America.”

Sports Illustrated

August 29, 1994

This documentary:

§ Inspires youth

§ Showcases the strength and ingenuity of a small town

in Southwestern PA

§ Shows how the Spirit from Park Avenue lives on and is shared with so many.

Your Support and Participation will not only bring visibility to your organization, but it will:

§ Show young people that their dreams are within reach.

§ Showcase Southwestern PA, and

§ Work to preserve local history,

This project:

§ Shows how others achieved their goals and talks about the importance of mentors…

§ Speaks to the importance of Community and Caring for One Another.

Park Avenue is a typical street in small town America. It happens to be located in Southwestern PA.

The frame homes sit close to the road. Cars park on the curb.

Park Avenue is anything but typical.

The subject of a one hour made-for-TV documentary, the residents of Park Avenue have created extraordinary lives and fulfilled extraordinary dreams….

Typical Park Avenue Home

Documentary Background

Mention the name “Park Avenue” to people and they’ll conjure up an image of New York City: the Waldorf Astoria, limousines, diamonds and furs.

Mention Park Avenue in Monongahela, PA, and the image that might come to mind is a dusty road with small, frame homes that sit near the road, lawn ornaments and ten-year-old cars parked on the sidewalk. A Mac truck roars past, and you think you might get hit if you don’t back away quickly. But a closer look shows the courage, character and community found in this working class, river town of about 4,500 people.

            In Monongahela, PA, they say to be anyone, you have to be from Park Avenue. And plenty of people who have become “anyone” are from this small street. Sports Illustrated (August 29, 1994) called Park Avenue, “Surely one of the most extraordinary streets in small-town America.” The street might be given that designation because Joe Montana, quarterback, grew up there and learned about quarterbacking by throwing a ball through a tire hung from a tree in Mrs. Emma Polonoli’s back yard.

It might be because right down the road lived Fred Cox, all-time leading scorer for the Minnesota Vikings. A Viking from 1963 – 1977, he is still their all time leading scorer with 1,653 points. Fred Cox invented the Nerf ball.

It might be because a man who was a good friend of Stan Musial’s and who was influential in his career was raised on Park Avenue. Frank Pizzica remembered Stan Musial playing baseball on Park Avenue. Mr. Pizzica was well known throughout the Pittsburgh area as a Buick Dealer and Bob Prince, the Pirates’ announcer who was a friend, often made reference to Mr. Pizzica during Pirates’ baseball games. Originally, the Pizzica family owned a bakery on Park Avenue.

Park Avenue’s prominence might have been due to...Armand Niccolai visiting there and later becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler from 1934 to 1942...or Ronnie Necciai throwing a ball on the street, and later setting records as a Pittsburgh Pirate that have yet to be broken. It might be the legendary Monongahela Wildcat Giannangelo brothers.   Mike Bucchianeri (shown at right) was a popular Monongahela High School Football Player who graduated in 1937 and went on to become a Green Bay Packer. But a closer and more in-depth look reveals that the “most extraordinary street” designation is probably earned for reasons in addition to athletics.



More Than Just Sports…

Park Avenue is Rich in Tradition and Culture

The Adena People were Native Americans who roamed the Monongahela River Valley thousands of years ago. They lived, worked and played near a lifeline of water called Pigeon Creek, a gentle creek that runs parallel to Park Avenue. The Creek flows into the Monongahela River, one of the few rivers in the world to flow north. They lived peaceably in what would become known as the Monongahela River Valley and Park Avenue areas. The Monongahela River and Monongahela City take their name from the Native American term meaning “sliding banks.” An ancient people, all that remained of the Adenas were their burial mounds by the time the voices of the white men came to the area in the 1700’s to begin their journey westward to establish a new Country.

In 1794 came America’s first test of the new constitution, the Whiskey Insurrection. In response to the whiskey tax imposed by Congress to pay for the debts of the Revolutionary War, farmers gathered to oppose the tax. Because of its proximity to the Mon River, two hundred and twenty six delegates gathered at “Whiskey Point.” President Washington called out the militia and sent 12,900 troops to stop the insurrection. The Whiskey Rebels sat on stumps, fallen trees and the grass to devise a plan. They listened to the voice of reason as Albert Gallatin made a speech that brought about a peaceful ending to this potentially threatening series of events. Within three weeks, the federal army began its retreat back over the Allegheny Mountains. (Shown at left is the hat worn by Benjamin Parkison, brother of Joseph Parkison, founder of Monongahela. Benjamin was arrested for his role in the Whiskey Insurrection. As he was shackled and made to walk before George Washington in Philadelphia, PA, he wore the hat that was passed down to the Walter Seal Family. Parkison was later pardoned by Washington.)

The next voices to be heard on Park Avenue were those of Federal troops amassed by General Richard Henry Lee. Those troops formed camps...next to Pigeon Creek on Park Avenue.

Next came a family who survived a winter by carving out the inside of a very large sycamore tree and living inside. The mom gave birth inside of the tree that winter, and the locals have documented the history of the family and the location of the tree.

Main Street runs perpendicular to Park Avenue and was one of the first streets in the country to have gas street lamps, due to Edward Goodrich Acheson’s residence in the town. An American inventor, Acheson had worked for Thomas Edison in Menlow Park. On Main Street in a house now owned by Sherry Kumpf, Acheson discovered the abrasive Carborundum which he patented in 1893. A relative of Monongahela’s Federal Judge Paul Simmons was present at the time. In 1894, Acheson established the Carborundum Company in Monongahela, which was to produce grinding wheels, whet stones, knife sharpeners, and powdered abrasives. He wanted to locate the plant along a river location, but the city leaders wanted Monongahela City to remain a bedroom community. So Acheson found a new location for his plant in Niagara Falls, for a business that was to become…Union Carbide.

Once the influx of immigrants came to America, many settled on Park Avenue. They woke in the middle of the night to start mining coal. They baked bread in outdoor ovens. Their children rode sleds and played ball on the street. They opened a wide variety of shops, like slaughterhouses and bakeries. They made bricks, bottled soda pop and spent countless hours getting to know each other. They helped each other and taught their children ways that would allow them to live rich, full lives.

One of the businesses on the street produced Anton lamps. An Anton lamp is a small carbide lamp that looks like a small maple syrup pitcher. Long before Joe L. Lewis and unions, coal miners wore on these open-flamed lamps on their hats to light their path through the mines. Four Bavarian Anton brothers immigrated to Monongahela competed from different locations across town to make the best carbide Anton Lamp. The various versions of Anton lamps are collected around the world now, and historians have documented the location of one brother’s shop on Park Avenue.

            St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church was founded in 1904 and the new church building is located on the site of “Whiskey Point. St. Anthony’s has been an integral part of the lives of many people from Park Avenue and the town. Father Abbate rallied a whole town to help him build a new church building and school…Protestants and atheists included. People generally didn’t say “no” to Father Abbate. The Anton family let congregants meet in an empty storefront the family owned. The “Anton” family name may have influenced the church selecting the name St. Anthony. Members affiliate their church with St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Anthony is known as the patron saint of lost items. For years, when the fire alarms in town rang, people wondered if Father Abbate’s candle making might have caused a fire in the rectory. Father Abbate’s skill at recognizing and developing talent within the Church and offering the community things it wanted (like a community swimming pool) was surely touched with genius, as he was truly ahead of his time in many areas.

If you talk to Jim O’Brien, sports expert and author about the athletes from Park Avenue, he can rattle off their names and statistics. Jim has written about several athletes from Park Avenue in his books. When he comes to town, he stops to eat at a tiny, local restaurant called Lenzi’s which he has also written about in a book. Lenzi’s is located along Pigeon Creek, just off of Park Avenue. Like so many of the homes along Pigeon Creek that are regularly flooded, Lenzi’s is the story of a family business that has endured flooding and tragedy and has had to start over several times. Lenzi’s has been featured in a three-page feature article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that has been laminated and hangs on the wall. It seats about twenty people, but my brother-in-law from Brooklyn will tell you that Lenzi’s food rivals Italian restaurants in New York City. While Lenzi’s is known for its food, it is also known for three generations of cooks who survived adversity and flooding and started again.

Right across the street from Lenzi’s is the site where Frankie’s Hot Dog Stand was located, where generations went to enjoy the best hot dog in the area. Frankie’s claim to fame is inventing the foot long hot dog.

            My interest in Park Avenue started when I was asked to make a video for a homecoming banquet for an army general from Park Avenue. Not knowing much about military ranks, I knew there was something important about him when I saw photographs of him with a variety of world leaders in his mother Rose’s home. As I visited Rose, she explained politely that she could not give photos for the video project. Savvy to P.R. protocol, Rose called her son’s office after I left that night, and at 7:00 a.m. the next morning, my telephone rang and it was the Pentagon calling to assist with my request. I quickly learned that U.S. Army Chief of Staff meant he was the highest ranking officer in the U. S. Army. Appointed by President Reagan, four-star General Carl E. Vuono was U.S. Army Chief of Staff from 1987-1991. He oversaw the Panama invasion and Operation Desert Storm and is credited as being the leader who re-engineered the U.S. Army into the outstanding organization it is today. General Colin Powell has said publicly of General Vuono, “He is one of my dearest friends in life and in the Army, who as my boss guided my career for so many, many years.”

Long after the homecoming banquet was held, I remained friends and visited Rose Vuono in the family home on Park Avenue. Rose spoke very fondly of both her sons and their families. Rose’s older son John Vuono is a senior partner in a law firm in downtown Pittsburgh. I was struck by John’s quiet ways, pride in his heritage, appreciation of his roots, and deep concern for his mother and family. Quite often, I remember John picking up his mother to visit with his family in Pittsburgh. John’s son Marty told me that Rose had her own bedroom in the family home. I had the pleasure of helping John to plan Rose’s 80^th birthday party, and I saw firsthand the devotion that the Vuonos have for each other. For me, getting to know General Vuono and John, both extremely accomplished in their respective fields, gave me the first indication of just how humble and genuine people from Park Avenue are.

            I thoroughly enjoyed my visits with Rose DeSantis Vuono, hearing the stories of her life and the street. Rose was known for being kind and having a quick sense of humor. Rose described the Italian immigrant homesteads and pointed out where they baked bread in outdoor ovens. The immigrants became family to each other and formed a strong, tightly-knit community. I still laugh when I recall Rose telling a story that has become legendary in the town and in her family. One day, two strangers knocked on her door to ask if hers was the home of Joe Montana. They explained they had driven across several states away to find his home. Rose said apologetically, “No, I’m sorry it isn’t.” Then she added, “But my son is U.S. Army Chief of Staff if you’d like to come in and visit me.” Much to her family’s chagrin, Rose invited these strangers in for tea and homemade biscotti!

            During the time I was visiting Rose, the Sports Illustrated article featuring Ryan Bucchianeri was printed, and the article was later reprinted in Reader’s Digest. Ryan’s article was entitled “A Time of Trial” and it is one of the longest narrative articles ever to appear in Sports Illustrated. As place kicker for Navy, and only six months out of Ringgold High School, Ryan was put in a big game, and his kick would either win or lose the game. The article is much more about Ryan’s character than sports. The article background describes how Ryan spent a good deal of time visiting his grandfather, Peno Bucchianeri, who operated a garage and auto dealership on Park Avenue where Ryan often practiced kicking a football. (Ryan’s parents Richard and Rosemary now operate the town’s first industrial and commercial park in Peno’s Plaza where Peno’s dealership was located.) Ryan was an exceptionally skilled kicker at Ringgold High School, where he kicked a stadium record 50-yard field goal and was a nationally-recruited athlete. When Ryan arrived at the Naval Academy, his cleats still had dirt in them from the Ringgold High School field. Ryan took the dirt from the cleats and sprinkled it on the Navy practice field like “magic seed” so he would have something from home with him. With minutes to go in the Army vs. Navy game, Ryan knew what he needed to do, but he may have had issues on his mind. Three days before the game, three recent Naval Academy graduates, including a standout Navy quarterback, were killed as part of a murder-suicide in San Diego. Unfortunately, Ryan missed the kick. After the game, he had a choice on whether to address the press, and he was willing to answer their questions. The media offered excuses for why Ryan had missed the kick. Perhaps it was a bad snap. Perhaps it was too windy or too rainy. But Ryan responded quietly, “It doesn’t matter. I missed the kick, sir.” The next morning, upon returning to the Naval Academy to attend a memorial service, he learned that three midshipmen from his company were killed, and one seriously injured, in a tragic accident when a tree fell onto their automobile while returning from the Army-Navy game. Three of the four victims were in his 12-man squad. Because of the affinity people felt to Ryan after reading the article, letters came in from all around the world to express concern and comment on his character. Ryan would ultimately be featured in Washington Post Magazine, ABC Sports, and A Civil War: Army vs . Navy. A Year in College Football's Purest Rivalry by best-selling author and sports commentator John Feinstein. Upon his commission as a naval officer, Ryan was stationed in Japan and Saudi Arabia for military tours; most notably as the navigator of an Aegis destroyer in the North Arabian Sea for Operation Enduring Freedom. Upon completion of his military service, Ryan enrolled at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. At Harvard, he focused on international security, human rights, and political economy - receiving a Master’s Degree in Public Policy upon graduation in 2005.

I, too, was moved by the article and by Ryan. I was also struck by the stories that Rose Vuono had been telling me about the street. I started realizing that as while I certainly thought my hometown was special, there must be things about it that made it different from other areas. The notion occurred to me to devote a film project to Park Avenue. Rose was among the first people I told about the idea, and her response to me was, “Well, it’s about time someone does something for Park Avenue.”

Not far away from the Vuono family lived the Bartolotta family. Aldo Bartolotta is a successful grocer, and his family owns multiple Giant Eagle super markets. He loves to recall the stories of Park Avenue and he gathers his former neighbors once a year for a Park Avenue reunion. Aldo is exceptionally humble and exceedingly generous. He is quietly supportive of many, many causes which are impossible to track. A recent newspaper editorial was entitled, “Every town needs an Aldo.” Aldo recalls his older brother Leo telling him that he shouldn’t wear a watch to work. He told Aldo that no matter what time it was, he would be working. From that time on, Aldo never wore a wrist watch. In fact, because the grocery business is in full swing on the weekend, Aldo and his wife had to be married on a Monday morning. Aldo told himself early in his career that it was not possible to worry and work, so he focuses on work and refuses to worry. He believes in positive self talk and tells himself several times each day that he is having a good day. He told his wife he would like his tombstone to say, “Aldo: He never had a bad day.” Aldo’s wife thought about this for a couple of years, and recently decided she’d like her tombstone to say, “Joann: He gave them all to me.” The Bartolotta family may be viewed as quintessential when it comes to knowing what family is really about.

            Recently I met Aldo’s daughter-in-law, Camera Bartolotta. With Aldo’s son, Bruce, Camera has two children whom she is raising to have a real understanding of family, and to appreciate their roots. Her first name might give you the idea that she has had a non-Mon Valley upbringing. She was born and lived into her adult years in the Los Angeles area. She had been in a variety of movie and TV roles. When she made the decision to move to Monongahela to become part of the Bartolotta family, a TV program was in the process of creating a role for her. Thinking they misunderstood her, they called a second time to confirm that she was turning down the role because she was moving to Monongahela. Camera was looking for something else in life. She found a way to bring into her life what she was seeking—solid, family ties and a sense of belonging.

Also part of the Bartolotta clan, Aldo Bartolotta’s niece, Deirdre Bair grew up on Park Avenue. She is a scholar and a very successful author who makes her home in Connecticut. She is a literary scholar (Ph.D., Columbia University) who has written major biographies of national acclaim: Samuel Beckett, Simone de Beauvoir, and The Secret Life of Anaïs Nin. She has won a variety of awards, including National Book awards. Ms. Bair has been a Professor of Comparative Literature at Yale, Penn, and Columbia. Her fourth biography on Carl G. Jung was released in November of 2003. She has been awarded fellowships from (among others) the Guggenheim and Rockefeller Foundations and the Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College.

Deirdre’s brother, Vincent Bartolotta became an attorney and is a founding partner of Thorsnes, Bartolotta, & McGuire Law Firm in San Diego, California. His services are retained for many high-profile cases, and he is consistently rated as one of the best trial lawyers in California and in the Country. He’ll tell you, "There's really no secret about what I do. I really do care for my clients; each case gets a piece of my soul." His father was a coal miner; his mother a licensed practical nurse. Since age ten, Bartolotta has rarely missed a day's work. He has delivered newspapers, unloaded grocery trucks, hauled produce, loaded beef in a slaughter house, shoveled slag from the blast furnaces of a Pittsburgh steel mill, worked salvage operations as a commercial scuba diver and labored as an ironworker. Mr. Bartolotta’s trademark is the white carnation that he wears each day, whether he is in court or not.

Dr. John Murray, Chancellor of Duquesne University was Vincent Bartolotta’s law professor at the University of Pittsburgh. In a meeting with Dr. Murray in November of 2003 to discuss the film project, Dr. Murray was impressed with the concept and called Park Avenue “magical.” He is known for his interest in family values, and founded the Family Institute at Duquesne University. During a meeting to discuss the documentary project, Dr. Murray cited various family values that can help to determine a child’s future course. He is convinced that the role of the family and their willingness to educate their children were instrumental in the lives of the people from Park Avenue. He has accepted an invitation to share his theories for the documentary.



Another neighbor who you would have found playing regularly on Park Avenue was Dr. Ronald V. Pellegrini, a Pittsburgh-based, world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who pioneered various procedures. Dr. Pellegrini says “I was born in 1936 and grew up poor. Our third-floor walk up had only three rooms, no hot water, and a pot-bellied stove. Our house always seemed cold in winter, and we often tried to warm it with coal we obtained from railroad cars.” Dr. Pellegrini worked his way through Washington and Jefferson College and Jefferson Medical College. After twenty years at Mercy Hospital as chief of the division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, he went to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and has been a clinical professor of surgery. Those in his hometown know him as “Ronnie.”

            Another medical doctor was born further out Park Avenue. Dr. Walter Cox’s family operates the Cox Grocery Store, a friendly and quaint store. The Cox Store is known for having an outstanding butcher shop, and people come from all directions to purchase their products. In his forties, Dr. Walter Cox is the nephew of former Minnesota Viking Fred Cox. A few years back, Dr. Cox went with his wife, Beth, on vacation to Jamaica. The Cox hotel room was broken into and he was shot in a senseless robbery that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Dr. Cox went through extensive rehabilitation, which allowed him to be able to resume his ob/gyn practice from his wheelchair. A true hero, Dr. Cox received the St. Francis Hospital “Will to Come Back” award. Up until a few years ago, the Cox family owned a field on Park Avenue where they held an annual rodeo which attracted participants from across the Country. Dr. Cox has found a way to live an active life, and he serves as an inspiration to anyone who knows him. He is regularly seen dining out with his family, and when the Cox family operated the rodeo, he would receive assistance to mount a horse, and wander around the premises on horseback. The site of the rodeo was previously used as a “Driving Park,” then a “Race Track,” and was later the spot where the circus was set up when it came to town.



            The Giannangelo Brothers were supposedly the best Monongahela High School football players back in the 1930s and 40s. When they graduated, they went to Kansas where they played college football and became dentists. One brother is still living, Dr. Emil Giannangelo. His wife told me by phone about their dental practice. Starting in 1970, Dr. G. began to devote one month a year to performing dentistry in third world countries. He established a dental clinic near Quecaltenanso, Guatemala. Dr. G. trained several young people in dentistry and taught village leaders in extraction so they could meet the dental needs of the people of the mountainous regions by horseback. Mission work also includes 22 locations in: Haiti, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras, Brazil, Amazon Region and a refugee camp for the South East Asian boat people in the Philipines. On Jan. 1, 1993, Dr. G. sold his dental office and since then has been providing dental services for needy children, nursing homes and continues his oversees volunteer service.

            A pioneer in her own rite, Mary Ann Barkey was the first female employee of Bell of PA who climbed a telephone pole to do repair work for the phone company. Mary Ann had a noteworthy career with Bell of PA and then with AT&T, and she was located in various parts of PA. Mary Ann started off doing office work, then got a chance to do repair work and later became a “foreman.” She was injured when doing repair work and jokes that she was not only the first woman to go up the pole, but was the first woman to come down by falling off of a pole. The 15th child in a family of 17, the hard-working Barkey family has produced a medical doctor and a priest among many other significant individuals. After retiring nearly twenty years ago, Mary Ann moved back to Monongahela where she lives in the family homestead on Park Avenue. She spends some time helping her niece Jane D’Amico who runs a greenhouse on the adjacent property. Jane is thrilled that Mary Ann hosts family events in the family homestead and says it is a way of keeping the family together.

Frank Irey was born across the street from the Barkeys and operated a construction firm in the Mon Valley that did work on bridges and Epcot Center. Now deceased, Mr. Irey played a major role with economic development of the Mon Valley through the Mon Valley Progress Council and other organizations. He was critical in making the dream of the Mon Valley Expressway into a reality. Mr. Irey told us that his family owned the first car on Park Avenue. Evelyn Bohucky, now nearly 80 years of age, lived right up the street from the Irey’s. Miss Bohucky still has her father’s Model A car. He used it to operate the first jitney in town, and later, a taxi cab company. Miss Bohucky maintains that her father had the first automobile on Park Avenue.



Frannie Fusco is a celebrated local waitress who for thirty-seven years, put smiles on faces at the Monongahela Eat ‘n Park as she poured their coffee for them. Her family estimates that she poured 1,896,961 cups of coffee in her career that spanned from 1957-1994. She was the first waitress hired at the Monongahela Eat ‘N Park, which at the time, offered drive-up service. Frannie is shown in a portrait taken by Eat ‘n Park on the occasion of her induction into the “Quarter Century” Club in 1982. Now, nearly eighty years of age, each year she single-handedly puts out a massive assortment of lawn ornaments at Christmastime which most locals would rate as being the undisputed champion of Christmas light displays.



            Joe Montana is the person from Park Avenue who has achieved the most commercial success. His family’s green home still stands on the street, and there is a new little boy who sleeps in the room that used to be Joe’s. The fields where he played basketball, baseball and football are still there. The Ringgold High School trophy cases are full of memorabilia associated with Joe. His former coaches still talk about Joe and re-live the glory days when Ringgold High School became the State basketball champions with Joe on board. Joe is a hometown hero and legend, and Joe said recently on ESPN radio that he still loves his hometown, even though he now lives on the West Coast. He is shown here being interviewed for the documentary at the Mon Valley YMCA in August of 2002.

Joe’s Aunt Elinor is by far his best publicist and his number one fan. She has an impressive array of Montana memorabilia, and her kids joke these items are their inheritance. Aunt Elinor is the authority who is visited by television producers, writers and fans from around the country and the world. Joe has never received an award for which Aunt Elinor was not present. A while back, there was an on-line “Quarterback of the Century” contest occurring on the Internet. When Aunt Elinor sent out the e-mail alert to her faithful following, Joe was running behind Dan Marino in the contest. Within days, Aunt Elinor’s army succeeded and moved “Joey” into the number one spot. When Joe was retiring from the NFL, he and his family had seats on a stage in San Francisco where it seemed the whole world was watching as the announcement was made. He told Aunt Elinor and Uncle Tino that he had reserved seats for them with the family and sports celebrities on the stage. Aunt Elinor declined the invitation and said she needed to be out in the crowd to get better pictures.

A pleasant surprise related to this project was to locate John Taylor Gatto who now lives in New York City. Mr. Gatto is known internationally as an acclaimed speaker and advocate of school reform. He was named the New York State Teacher of the Year twice, and was named the New York City Teacher of the Year three times. Bill Steigerwald in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette commented, "Unlikely Guerrilla: John Gatto of Monongahela is working overtime to subvert America's system of open schooling." His published books include: Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (1992); The Exhausted School (1993); A Different Kind of Teacher (2000); and The Underground History Of American Education (2001). In The Underground History of American Education he has a chapter entitled My Green River, referencing his fondness for his hometown of Monongahela, PA. In the chapter he recalls the influence that his Monongahela school teachers had on him. His fondness for Monongahela is apparent, and recently, a man in CA wrote to John saying he hopes “one day he will find his own Monongahela.” Mr. Gatto was an altar boy for Father Abbate at St. Anthony’s. Mr. Gatto shared a story about the time he put Pigeon Creek catfish into Father Abbate’s goldfish pond…and was expelled from being an altar boy.

Another treasure from Park Avenue is Mr. James Jimirro. Mr. Jimirro spent his early years living in a small rented house. He was founding president of the Disney Channel, former Columbia Broadcasting System executive, president and owner of his own video/television production and distribution company called J2 Communications, and is now the Chairman, President and CEO of National Lampoon. Mr. Jimirro has an office and a home on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, but every year, he returns home to Monongahela to celebrate Christmas with his mother and cousins. In April of 2004, he returned to his roots for the Saint Anthony’s wedding of his cousin Francine Mizwa’s daughter, Stephanie. Mr. Jimirro was interviewed at that time, and On Q Magazine from WQED was present to produce a story on this documentary which aired in June of 2004.

For years, Stauffer Chemical operated a plant on this street. The retired superintendent will be interviewed to talk about the reasons this exact location is one of the only places in the nation that has the right combination of geological and climate factors which allowed them to conduct the necessary processing work.

            People often ask, “Just how big is Park Avenue?” The clustered homes aren’t more than a few blocks long, and other homes and areas of interest continue further out Park Avenue. On a regular basis, it seems like Pigeon Creek spills over its banks, flooding Park Avenue and the nearby homes. Oftentimes, the water has become deep enough that people have been rescued by rowboats as they were forced out of their homes temporarily.

            When I tell anyone about this street, they invariably ask, “What is it about this street? Is there something in the water?” I talked to my friend Joe Frye about that very subject. A well known and respected family, the Frye’s lived a neighborhood adjacent to Park Avenue called “Stockdaletown.” Joe has a huge heart and gives of himself to many organizations, events, situations and people. Typical of someone from Park Avenue, Joe has offered countless hours mentoring others, serving on boards, and quietly donating food, clothing and money to never-ending individuals and charities—many who never know the origin of the gift. A graduate of Waynesburg College, Joe is a man of great intellect, a successful business person and a respected community leader. Joe’s dad operated the lumberyard in town and Joe continued the family business for many years. The business now focuses on mine subsidence inspections, construction and disaster recovery. Joe thinks there is something unique about the recurring flooding on Park Avenue. He said it’s almost like the water that passes across the land brings something mystical with it. In a way, it renews people. It restores them. It makes them tougher. It might be hard to describe exactly what “it” is, but…there really is something that makes Park Avenue One Extraordinary Street.

Other Ideas?

It seems that every day, someone new surfaces who has Park Avenue roots. Even as we speak, there are four new people who have been suggested. We will do our best to include as many people as possible. If you have an idea for a story or want to offer some other information, please e-mail us with any ideas that you have: info@LauraMagoneProductions.com

Disclaimer:

Please note: The materials contained on this web site have been compiled from a variety of sources, and we have worked diligently in good faith to insure its accuracy. If there are oversights, omissions or corrections, let us know. If you would like to add any information, suggest the name of someone else with Park Avenue roots who should be added, or offer any corrections or amplifications to what has been written, please e-mail: info@LauraMagoneProductions.com

The project concept and all materials contained within are copyrighted 1994 – 2004 by Laura M. Magone Productions.

The story of Park Avenue will be told in a one-hour made-for-TV documentary that we will release locally and hope to air on PBS and cable stations. The purpose of the documentary is to showcase the strength of one local small town which is a microcosm of Southwestern PA. The project will be used to not only to reflect the local area, but it will be used to show others (especially our youth) that many, many people have been able to pursue and live out their dreams, even without the benefit of coming from a background of privilege.

Distribution Plan for “One Extraordinary Street”

            In addition to public screenings, the project will be distributed and promoted in the following ways:

1)      The completed documentary will be made available to PBS and/or cable stations.

2)      Sponsors will receive publicity in the completed film project and in pre-screening publicity. According to designated giving levels, sponsors will receive publicity:

§         in the completed film project;

§         at opening-night receptions;

§         in promotional literature and advertising

§         on the web site.

3)      The film will be entered in to film festivals.

4)      A publicist will coordinate and oversee promotional efforts for the project.

5)      The web site will be enhanced to contain audio and video clips pertaining to various interviews and historical events so people may learn more about a particular subject or person. This site will contain links to other resources and chat rooms.

6)      Interviews will be transcribed for historic purposes. Transcriptions will be made available on-line, hopefully through the Heinz History Center.

7)      A speaker’s bureau will be formed which includes: featured personalities in the documentary, historians and key members of the production team. School districts, colleges and universities or other organizations will be offered the opportunity to screen the documentary and hear from one or more speakers of their choice. Sending the documentary with speakers around will let students and others know of opportunities they can pursue in a wide variety of professions including filmmaking.

8)      A companion study guide will be produced on DVD which features in-depth information on the subjects contained in the project and will be edited to reflect the preferences of youth. The study guide will contain links to the web site.

9)      Because of the historical content of events and various individuals, a traveling museum exhibit will be constructed and sent to various facilities in the U.S. to accompany the documentary. The exhibit will be interactive featuring touch screens and also cases containing artifacts. We hope to have a release and an exhibit at the Heinz History Center.

Laura M. Magone, Monongahela native, is the Producer for the Park Avenue Documentary in collaboration with a variety of Monongahela and Pittsburgh-based experts, including: filmmakers, historians, humanitarians and others. The daughter of Wanda (Previtali) and Albert Magone, Laura’s family includes: Maria, Clint, Annie, Mark, Frank, Cyndi, Elizabeth and Alexandra.

Telling the story of Park Avenue through a documentary has become a passion for Ms. Magone, and with the assistance of a very supportive Advisory Committee, family and friends, she is able to do so. She was inspired to pursue the project during her Park Avenue visits with Rose Vuono, mother of John and General Carl Vuono.

A self-taught photographer, Laura holds filmmaking and video production certifications from Pittsburgh Filmmakers in Oakland. She holds an MBA from Duquesne University where she was employed for 16 years working to develop businesses. In addition to completing creative projects, Ms. Magone provides consulting and training services to a variety of clients.

Laura’s photography has been published and exhibited in a variety of venues over the years. Presently, her works are included in Dollar Bank’s Regional Gallery at the new David L. Lawrence Convention Center. A Kodak KINSA photograph was displayed at the National Geographic Building in Washington, DC and at Epcot Center. She has a variety of other film projects in the works.

She may be contacted at: info@LauraMagoneProductions.com

Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Fiscal Sponsor

Pittsburgh Filmmakers is a not-for-profit organization and is the fiscal sponsor for this project. All contributions to this project are tax deductible. Contributions may be made payable to Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and mailed to: Pittsburgh Filmmakers, c-o Ms. Amy Robeson, 477 Melwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. (Please note that the contribution is for “One Extraordinary Street.)

Pittsburgh Filmmakers is a national leader among media arts organizations and is committed to the artist and the advancement of artistic excellence. Pittsburgh Filmmakers successfully combines every aspect of the artistic process, including: equipment access, artist services, exhibition, education, and community production services. Artist members and students are provided with filmmaking, photography, video and digital production and post-production equipment at nominal fees and superior fine arts instruction. Pittsburgh Filmmakers also exhibits the best of American independent, foreign films as well as student and artist member work year round.

Members of the Park Avenue Documentary Advisory Committee gathered for a luncheon program in St. Anthony’s “Father Abbate Hall” in November of 2002. The group took a historical trolley tour of Park Avenue which was narrated by Roberta Ravasio, Charles Talbert and Rich Bucchianeri.

(Photo by Dave Hogg)

(Photo of the Mon River as seen from the Aquatorium by Laura M. Magone)

“...Silver, in the mists of the morning;

Emerald, in the heat of the afternoon;

Ruby, in the fading sunset—yet more worthy than these—for this changeless river and

its peaceless valley shaped the course of a nation and was paid for with blood and fire.

It is in reality where the nation that we know as the United States of America started.”

Description of Mid-Monongahela River Valley

As Depicted in the Book:

"When and Where a Nation Began.”

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